Welcome to the New Manager Podcast.
I'm your host, Kim Nicol. Hello and welcome.
I'm glad you're here and I hope you're doing well.
Today I want to remind you that managers are.
People too. You know there's a.
Lot that is asked. Of you when you become a manager
or a. People leader and so many times
there are. These expectations that get
placed upon you and yet without any clear direction or guidance
or a plan for growth and that can be really.
It can be difficult to. Find yourself in this position.
Where it? Seems like there's a.
Lot you're. Supposed to know already and
yet? Nobody is providing a clear road
map. Or resources.
And at the same time, you're sensing criticism.
Or you feel like you're falling short.
While. At the same time.
You are also being a human, so other things are happening
outside of your work. That will also be influencing
the. Way that you are showing up.
At work so I just. Wanted to remind you of this.
Because. When you remember I'm a human, I
am learning something new. It is a learnable thing,
learning the skills, developing the.
Capacities developing the mindset.
Of how to be effective? At managing the humans that I am
working with, those are all things that you can learn and
remembering like you're not supposed to.
Just wake up one day and know. Automatically How to think
differently? About your job.
Or how to automatically? Solve for some of the challenges
that you had not anticipated. Or expected when we.
Remember that managers. Are people too.
It starts to let some of that. Pressure lift and when some of
that. Pressure starts to lift, then we
can. Actually, look at more clearly.
What is the? Actual problem you want to solve
right now and we can have a little bit more compassion and a
little bit more understanding when you.
Feel. Like you're not doing a great
job. Or you.
Have an off day or maybe you handle something in a way that
looking back you think. I wish I could have done that
differently, but. I was just feeling really
impatient and really rushed and so I didn't think.
Through kind of the. Bigger picture.
I was just being really reactive.
In the moment it's going to happen, it's.
Okay part of what? We want to get you.
To is to get out from under. The heavy selfjudgment and
that's going to come up, especially when you care a.
Lot about doing a good job. That can be one.
Of the sneakiest things is. When you really care.
Like you want your team to do well.
You really care about. Being a good manager for them.
But you secretly fear. That you don't know what you're
doing, You're afraid people will find out.
Or you're afraid you might. Really.
Let people down. Because you're kind of
overwhelmed or? Just not sure of what's going
on. So first you got to acknowledge.
That say okay, this is the. Story I'm telling in my head
right now. This is what I'm thinking about.
This is how I'm feeling about it.
Remind yourself, okay managers are.
People, too, can have a little bit more compassion and
understanding and then let's get curious and identify.
What is the the real issue we're trying to?
Solve for and one way to think about.
That is to simply look at the current situation and.
Say this is what's happening. Right now and then.
This is what I would like. To have happen right now.
Or this is what is. Happening right now.
But over here is what success would look.
Like and I need to figure out how to make that happen because.
Once we. Those two points, Now we can
start. To look at it in a few different
ways to. Identify what is the level at
which. We want to.
Approach this. Issue sometimes we approach it
on a very granular. Level like in a very specific.
Tactical way. What is the thing?
That needs to happen next, and sometimes we're going.
To approach it from. A bigger picture, more systemic
or environmental? Level like can we look at the
entire environment to provide some understanding about why
this is happening? Or why this is such a?
Sticky or difficult? Problem to solve.
For let me give you one. Specific example.
So a couple of years ago I was coaching.
A group. Of physicians and healthcare.
Providers and they. Had a lot of.
Challenges around burnout and one level to.
Look at it is on a very individual level.
You know what? What can we do?
To support and take care of your wellbeing in terms of your
personal decisions, your personal choices.
The way that you're thinking about.
Things the mindset that you're bringing to the challenge,
that's one level. But we also want to look at and
understand what. Is the bigger picture that you
are working in as an individual and that includes you know what?
Are some of the policies that are in place in your.
Hospital that are affecting what individual physicians?
And healthcare service providers are feeling like how?
Is it? How is it actually shaping?
The way that you do work, which can.
Create the sense of overwhelm or stress or expectation.
We can also look at not just within the business and the.
Policies that are happening there, but even outside in the
community, is there something going on in the community that's
affecting? You know the way.
People are experiencing their work.
And in this. Case with this particular group,
there were two distinct things that.
Were Happening One was the pandemic.
This was still earlier. In the pandemic, so they.
Had a lot of. You know, just.
A lot of volume. Of very specific kinds of
challenges. That they were trying to support
and deal with. But also in their particular
town. This was in Northern California.
There had been. These wildfires that had burned,
you know, homes, some of them. Homes of.
These providers or people that they loved and.
Cared for just the. The whole town had.
Also kind of been through the stress and the shock.
And the grief that comes with that kind of loss and challenge.
So the specific issue that will show up at work will look like
one specific thing. Like you might think.
Oh, this one person. Is maybe not doing a great job,
but we want to be mindful when we're looking at, you know,
what's happening now, Okay something in this individual
performance. Is not quite right.
What do we want that success? To look like, right, like what's
what's the goal that we have there, what's the gap between
those two and then. How are we looking at this?
Issue because that will shape the way we approach to solve it,
and we don't only want to look at the one individual, we also
want to. Look at the broader processes
and policies that they're working within within the
business itself. We also want to look even
further to. Consider what is the bigger
environment. Or what is happening in?
Society that might have an influence on what we're seeing.
On this very small level, and as a manager and as a leader, it's.
Really hard to, you know, be. Able to access that perspective
when you yourself. As a human are feeling a lot of
pressure. And might be addressing your
own. Challenges on any of those
levels too. So just remember, being a
manager, you don't stop being a human.
You don't stop having emotions. You don't stop having imperfect
information. You're going to be learning as
you. Go and one of the things that
happens, of course, is there. Are more people?
Looking to you for answers and for help so you can feel.
A lot more pressure, but remember to bring a.
Little grace, a little bit of compassion to.
Yourself, because it makes the learning experience and the
learning. Process that.
Much easier, my last note. Is that I've been seeing a lot
of. Conversations happening on on
LinkedIn lately? Where people are kind of, you
know, saying. You know, managers need to be
this and managers need to be that and I just.
Feel bad for? Every manager who reads.
Those messages and thinks. Yeah, that, that would.
Be great, but like could I get a little help?
You know, because so often organizations will not be
equipped or just not be able. To provide.
The kind of developmental support and professional growth
plan that we need in order to have these great managers, you
know, like everyone agrees. Oh yeah.
Having a great manager and having a manager who is really.
And, you know, really good at all of these things.
Wouldn't that just be the best and I think?
We can all agree we all want a great manager.
I truly believe no one wakes up and says I'm going to be a
terrible manager today. I just do not think it happens.
But there's this kind of distinction where there's, you
know, kind of. What?
Everybody. Says that we want, which is we
want to have really. Really great.
Managers and then what are we actually doing?
To support that happening. What is it that is available
like our our organizations providing support or?
Resources to. Help make that happen.
And so we. Know one of the great things
about the contemporary times is you do not have to wait for your
organization to get organized and create a plan for you.
You really have so much available that you can.
Look for, advocate for, ask if your work will cover the cost,
or simply just say you know what this is from my career from.
My longterm growth and professional development.
So I'm going. To find the thing that I need
that's going to help me today, because I know it will.
Help set me up for longerterm success and like that's what I'm
all about. You can do that.
For yourself, don't feel. Bad or don't feel like.
Am I supposed to know how to do this just automatically?
No, I don't. Think so?
So that's why we're here. Anyway, that's what I wanted to
share with you today. I hope you have a really.
Great week. We're moving.
Into October, which is kind of crazy, but that's what I wanted
to share. You're.
A human too, so have a little compassion.
It's Okay. If you want to work with me
one-on-one, go into the show notes, fill out the form to book
a consult with me, and let's talk about what's going on,
where you want to get to, and how.
I can help support you along the way if you want to join my.
Group. Program.
Make sure that you are on my emailing list so that you find
out more about when that is offered again.
It's currently running now, so the.
Doors are closed it'll. Open up again and the next.
Cohort Will. Happen in February.
Right now is the plan of 2024, so get on the e-mail list so you
can learn more about when doors. Open for that and learn in a
community. All right, have a great rest of
your. Week and I will talk to.
You later when you're more effective at.
You're happier in your life and when you're happier.
In your life, you're more effective at.
Work I can help go to. My website kimnickel.com and
sign up for a coaching consult. It can get better.